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Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Tavestock Hotel (London). He writes he is about to leave for Portsmouth and has settled everything to his satisfaction. He is worried they will lose their passage and not arrive in Canton till winter. He is indebted to Mr Crabtree for his assistance, beyond the usual kindness of intimate friends. He asks his father to tell his sister, Fanny, that he has not forgotten anything. He finishes "I am exceedingly well, but not calm". Handwritten, 2 sides. Postmarked 7 May 1806

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Portsmouth. He writes he is about to board but detained by the Jews' Sabbath as he wants to change some notes into dollars. He continues the letter on board the Thames. They are delayed in sailing and lie off the Isle of Wight. The owner, Mr Chapman, is on board, and as soon as he found out that Manning was a scholar and a mathematician, it has made a huge difference - the owner wishes Manning to instruct his son and friend, and this has meant that Manning has been given a "cabin and servants and everything I want". Handwritten, 3 sides. Postmarked 13 May, 1806

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from on board the Thames. On 29th May 1806 he writes that the Commodore has signalled that Madeira is in sight but they will not stop there which is disappointing in terms of fresh provisions and of sending letters. The sea agrees with him and after much reflection approves of the decision that he has made despite having to 'run away' from many friends who care much about him. He is growing his beard after asking permission from the ladies; is getting on well with the other passengers despite the greater part being "decidedly below par in point of education & information". The Thames is part of a convoy of about 30 ships which make a fine sight but means they sometimes have to wait for those lagging behind. The letter continues on 11th June, 1806 when they had sighted some ships which seemed to be bearing the French colours and so preparations were being made to fight. However they turned out to be English and therefore Thomas hoped they might take letters. Letter continues again on 24 July Lat 32 south, Longitude 11 West - a week off the Cape, and though they will not stop some of their convoy will. The weather has been good and he has seen flying fish in abundance along with sharks, dolphins, sword fish and has seen whales spouting. The Captain and his wife have changed cabins and Manning has their old one. He writes on 28th July that letters are called for but Manning recovered this one from the post on August 9th to say they had landed at False Bay (South Africa) 3 days previously. Handwritten, 4 sides. dated 29 May - 9 August, 1806

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from on board the Thames. The letter begins on 19 August 1806 and Manning writes about a terrible storm the day after leaving the Cape in which they lost a set of sails, damage estimated at £1000. The fleet were scattered but most had regrouped. The letter continues on 11 November 1806 from Penang where he had been for a month. He finds Penang fascinating - the vegetation, the different types of people and their lifestyles and religious habits. He has met the Governor, though his wife was unfortunately in Bengal. Manning has been a little unwell with fever but in good health as he writes. He has made many observations leaving no time to write letters, though he hopes to write to Dr Davy. He has seen Chinese and Siamese plays. Handwritten, 4 sides. 19 August -11 November 1806

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Canton - "in my own rooms at the English factory given me this morning". He arrived in Canton the previous day and George Staunton had said that an American ship was to leave Canton the next day; hence the letter. He had been called upon to give medical help to a Chinese servant with a cut elbow, followed by dinner at the Company table - roast beef, potatoes and vegetables recalling ideas of old England. He is tired and the next day will breakfast with Mr Barry, a merchant, for whom Mr Crabtree had given Manning a letter of introduction. They arrived by open boat - with some worries about pirates but had arrived in Canton safely. He writes about the weather and concludes with a note to say the servant is much improved so Manning has proved he is of some use already. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 14 January 1807

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Canton. "All our attention has been absorbed for these last two months by a Contestation between the Supercargoes & the Mandarins respecting delivering up a man for having killed a Chinese. With this letter he encloses an account of the affair. This has stopped them leaving for Macao. He had been to a lavish entertainment by one of the Chinese security merchants which he describes. He is happy and writes that there is much to be learnt in Canton but the Europeans do not learn it because they do not know the language. "We are as babies under nurses" Manning writes of the Europeans and their inability to communicate or look after themselves. "I have no patience with this blustering and huffing in India & licking the dust here". There is a postscript concerning Edward Sheen, the "mock culprit" and concerning the receipt of a letter from his father. With this letter are a letter from J Crabtree to William Manning writing that he is enclosing Thomas' account of the affray at Canton and also asking that Mr Young will now organise sending his letters to China as Crabtree is going to America. There are 2 accounts of the fight between the English crew of the Neptune and the Chinese on 24 February 1807. Hand written, 4 pieces, each 4,4,1 and 4 sides. Letter dated 22 April 1807, postscript 28 April 1807, Accounts dated 16th April 1807, Crabtree letter dated 25 February 1808

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Canton. He writes that the recall of the fleet that was despatched means he can write again with news that he thinks his father and friends at Diss will find gripping. After the fleet had sailed the Chinese had changed their demands regarding Edward Sheen but a boat was despatched to the fleet which returned. The Chinese then changed their demands and there are hopes it can be amicably settled. Manning had been to dinner at a retired Chinese merchant's house with Mandarins, English, Chinese merchants, Mr Chalmers the Swedish chief, some other Swedes and Danes and the Spanish chief. He tried so many new dishes - bird's nest soup with soy, deer's sinews & biche de mer - that they upset his stomach and he has had to dine on roast beef, mutton & chicken & boiled potatoes ever since. He praises Macao, 80-100 miles to south of Canton. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 7 May, 1807

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Macao. He writes on 20 June, 1807, that he had travelled to Macao down the river in junks for two people and his companion was George Staunton. Since arriving in Macao he has been absorbed with mathematics and a train of thought concerning equations, so much so that he has not been out and is only stopping to write the letter because he had heard that a boat was leaving for Bombay. The letter continues on 1 July saying he had just received a letter from (Charles) Lamb. He then proceeds with instructions on how best to send letters. Manning finishes with a postscript declaring himself "vext and mortified" because the boat that had brought Lamb's letter had brought many for other Englishmen but not for him. Handwritten, 3 sides. Dated 20 June - 1 July 1807.

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Canton. He has finally received a letter from his father along with one from his brother, Edward, and another from Crabtree. However much of the letter is taken up with complaining about not receiving letters and trying to explain how best to send Mail to him. He writes that he was downhearted at Christmas but joined in the festivities at New Year. He is sending Mr Woodward "some curious seeds by the Sealeby Castle under the care of G. Staunton". He is sending his father some "supernaculum tea for the rectory". It is directed to Mr Lamb who will pay the duty and then Edward can pay him. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 6 January 1808

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Canton. Manning writes about the disappointment in not receiving letters but that he had one from his father and one from his brother, Edward, with a copying machine. He has sent Mr Woodward and Mr Wilkins some onion seeds in the care of George Staunton. He has written several times and hopes they are not lost. He has an upset stomach and has ordered congee - a rice gruel. He is generally in good health. He resumes the letter the next day after the Alfred had docked and was pleased to have received post including from his father dated November 1806. He had a letter from Robert Thomson, a Scot settled in France and translator of La Fontaine's stories. He recounts an episode when in France of acting on Thomson's behalf to become an English teacher at a premier French college. He then writes that he is about to embark on a trip to Cochinchina (south Vietnam). He is going with the Company boats who will put him down at Turon (Da Nang) and if he is received favourably will stay there for a month. But if the Mandarins or the Frenchmen at the Cochinchina court would "rather have my room than my company" he will stay aboard the Company boat or return to Macao with the Portuguese expedition. He considers those of Cochinchina as half civilised vagabonds but wants to compare the language with Chinese and also to see whether he could be employed by the court as Physician in a Cochinchina Embassy to Pekin. he has other plans but will not commit them to paper. He admits he is not good at belonging to institutions otherwise he might have been employed by the Honorable Company. He has petitioned to the Mandarins that he may go to Pekin to feel the Emperor's pulse and teach him to calculate eclipses. He thinks this will not happen because the English in India's fame spreads too fast for Asiatic potentates. He then writes of his opinion of the French and English at war. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 12 February 1808